Warner's episodic Watchmen games

Alan Moore knows the score, Euro developed games point to download future

Warner Bros has signed up Danish studio, Deadline to make a series of episodic games based on Watchmen, Alan Moore's sublime twelve issue comic book series from 1986-87.

Warner's Interactive has commissioned Deadline to produce an initial two episodic downloadable games for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC, based Moore's 'superhero dystopia' story.

Episodic content is king

The first 'episode' is due to for simultaneous release alongside the Watchmen movie next year, and the second when the film hits DVD later in 2009

"We don't want a low-quality console game that will get lost at retail," Samantha Ryan, Warner Bros' development chief told Variety. "A downloadable game allows us to deliver the experience that fans expect."

"It's not an Xbox Live Arcade title where we're recreating 'Tetris' or a simple fighter. The graphics look as good as any traditional PS3 or 360 game sitting on the shelf at retail," said Ryan.

Quality hardcore property

"What we're trying to do with Watchmen is create the best quality game that delivers the experience fans expect from what we believe to be a great movie and a great property," added Ryan.

"Rather than the more traditional 'time is limited squeeze the puppy onto the market' route, we wanted to craft something that's the best possible game it can be. There's a great crossover between Watchmen fans and gamers. It's a hard core property and a hard core movie and a hard core game. A downloadable game allows us to deliver the experience that fans expect."

The games are expected to have an M-rating.

As Watchmen is by far and away our favourite graphic novel here at TechRadar, we will be keeping our beady eye on the development of Warner's movie and videogame versions of Moore's classic, so stay tuned for regular updates. To see the spine-tinglingly-good movie trailer check out watchmenmovie.warnerbros.com